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by Tanya Landman
Mystery turns to mortal danger as one young man's quest to clear his father's name ensnares him in a net of deceit, conspiracy, and intrigue in 1750s England.
Caleb has spent his life roaming southern England with his Pa, little to their names but his father's signet ring and a puppet theater for popular, raunchy Punch and Judy shows - until the day Pa is convicted of a theft he didn't commit and sentenced to transportation to the colonies in America. From prison, Caleb's father sends him to the coast to find an aunt Caleb never knew he had. His aunt welcomes him into her home, but her neighbors see only Caleb's dark skin. Still, Caleb slowly falls into a strange rhythm in his new life ... until one morning he finds a body washed up on the shore. The face is unrecognizable after its time at sea, but the signet ring is unmistakable: it can only be Caleb's father.
Mystery piles on mystery as both church and state deny what Caleb knows. From award-winning British author Tanya Landman comes a heart-stopping story of race, class, family, and corruption so deep it can kill.
"Starred Review. So riveting that the pages seem to turn of their own accord." - Kirkus
"Starred Review. Landman brings to life the sights, sounds, and injustices of a bygone era and is just as attentive to Caleb's strong emotions as his life becomes increasingly dangerous. Ages 12–up." - Publishers Weekly
"The compelling, complex characters come to life through Landman's sophisticated writing, and the plot's many twists strike like expertly timed smacks from Punch's slapstick." - Booklist
"The plot picks up after the discovery of the body and the mystery becomes more established." - School Library Connection
"Although some parts seem unrealistic, this title is recommended for those looking to add to their YA historical fiction shelves." - School Library Journal
This information about Hell and High Water was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Tanya Landman is the Carnegie Medal–winning author of a number of historical novels for young adults, including The Goldsmith's Daughter and I Am Apache, in which she explores the lives of history's dispossessed and disenfranchised. Tanya Landman lives in Devon, England.
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